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Built as a central garrison for the alliance of kingdoms determined to keep the Venn from overrunning them, it was founded, legend has it, by virtue of a mysterious magical object having been placed or hidden beneath the foundations of the oldest building, which later became the main palace. Subsequent to the magic school being built, using the slowly accumulated archive, it has been traditional for magic students to either try to find the 'Moonfire' or some record that describes what it is and who brought it. The facts are scanty in the extreme; the oldest legend states that bereth is not actually a Sartoran word, but an alteration of 'burrd which purportedly had something to do with moonlight, and possible magic tied to it.
About the time that the Venn were finally defeated and turned inward, the school set out to rival the Sartoran school of magic, and the Council of Magic that always seemed to regard southern hemisphere problems as paramount.
Bereth Ferian now considers itself a global learning center, though the focus is northern affairs. The leaders of the two schools are determined to preserve the alliance, and to at least dampen rivalries. This was most successful when Evend was 'King in Bereth Ferian' and his old friend Tsauderei effective head of the Magic Council while the actual council was removed from time in Sartor. Once they reappeared, and Evend died, everything was in flux, troubles accelerated by Norsunder's depredations.
The King of Queen in Bereth Ferian is the symbolic leader of the federation of northern kingdoms, but he or she has no political power. Bereth Ferian's focus is on knowledge, mage-guild alliance, and communication among nations with rulers who practice or have access to magic. [1] They are strongly allied to, and often trained with, the Magic Council of Sartor.
After Siamis Y Reverael's enchantment was broken, and the last rift closed by Evend in his death, Liere Fer Eider, known as "Sartora", was generally acclaimed queen, though Arthur (Irtur Vithyavadnais) was Evend's heir. But Arthur welcomed the decision. He did his best to convince Liere to stay, but knew within a short time she would never make a home there.
The city itself lies inland under the mild effect of a warm current that sweeps up the eastern part of Drael. Thus, despite it being so far north that northern light effects occur, there is a mellow enough spring and summer growing season under warm, long days, to grow olives, cotton, a dry wine in the hills. There is plenty of grazing for sheep, and thus wool, which is useful for the cold winters. The mildness does not extend westward far: cold air masses accumulate over the Ghost Lanes and flow southward, made into storms along the edge of the warm air masses as they dive under, creating the powerful Sea of Storms effect that batters the northwestern end of Drael, specifically over the Venn peninsula, pretty much year round. The Venn thus almost never ventured past Helandrians and the Ghost Lakes, exceedingly unfriendly territory in terrain, climate, and inhabitants.
Bereth Ferian thus mostly is the center of the eastern end of Drael, going in a line (following the path of the Old Sartornas) directly down to Sartor.
Built of mostly white marble, the dominant decorative motif in cornices and around windows being stylized acorns, it is famed for the gardens, especially the avenues of fine beeches that border these gardens, and the birch avenue outside another wing.. There was quite a rivalry between the contributing kingdoms, each wanting to outdo the others in donating excellent materials and artisans, with the result of one of the most beautiful public buildings in the world. The mage school took over one wing, and the other is dedicated to trade or diplomatic affairs. The middle section's upper rooms are the Residence, mostly empty now.
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